To: Ed Reiskin, Director of Transportation, SFMTA Board of Directors and Andy Thornley
More carshare spots please!
Having dedicated set-asides on the street for carshare services is a FANTASTIC idea; those of us who depend on City Carshare could not be happier about it. We see this use of space the same way others see parklets: vastly more people per hour get a use out of that space than if it was hogged up by any one person’s vehicle.
We are aware of the petition asking Ed Reiskin to put the kibosh on these planned set-asides. The purpose of this petition is to let Mr. Reiskin know that many of us working class San Franciscans DO INDEED want these City Carshare spots, we want more of them, we want them close to us, and we want them YESTERDAY. :-)
Why is this important?
Like many San Franciscans, I don’t own a car. I got rid of it nine months after I moved to the Haight - when I got my thirteenth parking ticket. It was an adjustment, but I sure do not miss all the stress of having a car out on the street.
For those of us who don’t own cars, we rely on the Muni. But, sometimes, there are errands for which the Muni just is not suited: trips to Costco, to Trader Joe’s, an emergency trip to the bank, etc. For these trips, there are by-the-hour carshare services like City Carshare.
For me, City Carshare is a god-send. City Carshare enabled me to not think twice about getting rid of my car. I use it about twice a week: once to run some errand and every Friday to take my dog to dog-agility class.
Owning a car would be a burden for me. Thanks to City Carshare, I don’t have to.
There should be more carshare parking spots available, not fewer. It would be better if they were smaller and more dispersed, so members don’t have to walk that far to get to a car.